[Escape Room Completed]

After the first player got scared offline, the live stream’s popularity surged. The audience in the live room went from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands, then millions.

The numbers were still climbing steadily.

[I heard someone got scared offline while playing. Is that true?]

[High-energy scene three. Go watch the replay, you’re welcome.]

[Got hugged by a woman and went offline? This fake-out is too half-hearted.]

[Must have pulled the connector themselves, right?]

[Streamers these days will do anything for traffic.]

Initially, when people questioned, some audience members would explain a bit in the comments. But as the remaining seven players began their tasks, fewer people commented.

Because the game entered its second stage, the Ghost Bride didn’t continue chasing players outside. Instead, she returned to the wedding hall, dressed in her wedding gown, veiled, and stood with her back to the door.

The seven had summoned considerable courage to come, but upon reaching the entrance and seeing this scene, they suddenly felt a renewed sense of dread.

It was strange; the scene was clearly quite beautiful, yet at this moment, it looked utterly terrifying.

“Big Bear, you go?” Everyone looked at Big Bear.

Big Bear shook his head, looking at Shang Letian: “Letian, you go. Didn’t you say you wanted to take on more tasks?”

“No, no, no, my goal has already been achieved,” Shang Letian shook his head like a rattle-drum.

Before coming, his goal was to consume 150,000 R of spiritual power. Although he was still short about 30,000 R, he believed that as the game continued, that amount of energy would quickly be consumed, and he wouldn’t need to actively do tasks anymore.

‘If I had known it would be this scary, I wouldn’t have actively taken on those first few tasks.’

“Then, let’s draw lots.” Since no one was willing to go, they had to draw lots. The lucky one in this escape room was Ling Ling’s friend, the elegant woman.

“It’s fine. The Ghost Bride’s target is male, and you’re female, so she probably won’t pounce on you if you go in.”

“Is this game set so the Ghost Bride is heterosexual? It’s not determined by the gender preference of the player who enters?” The elegant woman asked with a mournful face.

When she asked this, everyone fell silent. It really wasn’t certain, after all, true love knows no gender.

Outside the escape room, Tong Yu quietly wiped some sweat. He hadn’t actually set that, but he could consider it next time.

The elegant woman held the Soul-Returning Incense, carefully lit it, and then slowly approached the wedding hall door. The moment she neared the door, the Ghost Bride suddenly turned around.

The seven players jumped in fright, and even the comments outside the live stream paused for a moment.

Fortunately, the Soul-Returning Incense worked. A scholar in a green robe with a pale face appeared out of thin air, smiling gently at the Ghost Bride: “My lady, is this your lost purse?”

The Ghost Bride slowly lifted her veil, revealing a beautiful and gentle face.

[This NPC is quite pretty. Where’s the scary part?] This was a netizen who hadn’t seen the previous live stream.

The netizens who had seen the previous live stream, whether by prior agreement or not, surprisingly didn’t say anything to warn about the Ghost Bride’s transformation effect.

The elegant woman breathed a sigh of relief, signaling for the other teammates to go in and search. Big Bear and the other six had been ready for action, and seeing the signal, they rushed in and rummaged through the wedding hall.

“The key, where’s the key?”

But the wedding hall was too big, filled with many small items prepared for the wedding, and the key was tiny. The few of them searched for a while but couldn’t find anything.

Just then, the elegant woman noticed the Soul-Returning Incense was almost burnt out and quickly shouted, “Time’s up!”

Upon hearing this, everyone prepared to retreat, but at that moment, someone made a discovery: “I found the key!”

It was under the plate of peanuts on the main table. He wanted to grab it before leaving, but in that moment of hesitation, the Soul-Returning Incense burned out. The charming and lovely Ghost Bride suddenly transformed. Blood and tears streamed from her eyes, and her fair, delicate hands turned into ghostly claws. She reached forward and ripped out the pale-faced scholar’s heart: “My beloved Li, why did you betray me!!”

A roar, a chilling wind, and the red candles extinguished.

The elegant woman was the first to bolt. The Ghost Bride couldn’t catch her. With a turn, clutching the bloody heart, she rushed towards the other six. Her main target, naturally, was the lucky guy who had just found the key.

That guy had just grabbed the key. He turned around and came face-to-face with the Ghost Bride. After letting out a scream that could shatter a skull, which echoed for the audience, he vanished in a flash of white light.

Big Bear and the others ran out of the room. After a quick headcount, one was missing: “Where’s Little Qi?”

“Offline.” Although this was only the second time in his life he’d seen someone scared offline, for some reason, he no longer found it surprising.

[!!!! Scared the living hell out of me.]

[This NPC is too terrifying. One second she’s a shy, gentle beauty, the next she’s ripping out a heart.]

[The moment he struck, my chest actually hurt.]

[I was watching from that offline guy’s perspective. When the Ghost Bride got close, I lost 20,000 R of energy in an instant.]

[Holy crap, upstairs, you’re such a dog! Secretly watching the live stream from a player’s perspective.]

Virtual world live streams have a player immersion feature, allowing viewers to experience the live stream from any player’s perspective, as if they were there. This was why Zhang Huai suggested Tong Yu start a live stream; this escape room could only accommodate eight people at most, but those eight people could bring in countless more through immersion.

After losing one player, the remaining six became even more cautious. They decided that this time, regardless of whether they found the key or not, they would all run out the moment the Soul-Returning Incense was about to burn out.

The Soul-Locking Nails only worked if all four were nailed into the coffin simultaneously. If they lost two more people, things would get risky.

With experience, the group became much more coordinated. The elegant woman still lit the incense, while the other five went to the wedding hall to search for the key. The five were lucky; they finally found all the keys before the last stick of Soul-Returning Incense burned out.

The six returned to the east wing, opened the box with the keys, and took out the Soul-Locking Nails.

“We have the Soul-Locking Nails. Now we just wait for the bride to lie back in her coffin.”

“Um… where is the bride’s coffin?” Someone suddenly asked a question.

When he asked this, not only the players in the escape room but also the people in the comments section began discussing it.

[Right, where is the coffin? Earlier, when they were looking for the Soul-Locking Nails, they almost turned the whole courtyard upside down; they didn’t see a coffin.]

[I don’t know why, but I sense a conspiracy.]

[I have a premonition of great horror, but for some reason, I’m really excited. What’s wrong with me?]

Zhang Huai and the others were also curious, turning to look at Tong Yu.

Tong Yu kept them in suspense: “Keep watching; it will be revealed soon.”

*Knock, knock!*

Outside the east wing door, someone suddenly knocked.

The six already jumpy players were startled and all huddled behind Big Bear.

Big Bear had nowhere to hide and could only steel himself to ask, “Who… who is it?”

“Young master, the auspicious hour has arrived. It’s time for the wedding ceremony and to enter the bridal chamber.”

Big Bear’s legs went soft upon hearing this: “Didn’t we already perform the ceremony? Why do we have to do it again?”

‘Isn’t the wedding ceremony the first stage of the game?’

“Before, it was just a test from my young lady. This time, it’s the real wedding ceremony.”

Shang Letian tugged at Big Bear’s clothes from behind: “Could this bridal chamber be where the coffin is kept?”

“Possibly. According to the game’s progress, the next step is to find the coffin.”

“Big Bear, go!”

“Why me again!!” Big Bear roared, his energy value on the right side dropping by several hundred.

The comments section immediately erupted in laughter.

[Why am I laughing so hard in a horror game live stream?]

[Big Bear, just go. The Ghost Bride just likes your sturdy physique.]

No matter how much they urged him, both inside and outside the game, Big Bear absolutely refused to go and insisted on drawing lots. And the result of the draw was still him!

Big Bear: “…”

Netizens: [Hahahahahaha]

This time, the old butler led Big Bear, who was wearing a wedding outfit, into the wedding hall. The hall showed no signs of previous searching, having returned to its original tidy state. Unlike when they first entered the game, the background music was no longer a bleak and terrifying tune but rather joyful wedding music.

But Big Bear, who was already on the verge of being traumatized, couldn’t feel any joy. He entered timidly, ready to bolt at any moment.

“First bow to heaven and earth,” the old butler suddenly announced.

The Ghost Bride turned and bowed to heaven and earth.

Big Bear paused for a moment, then followed suit with a bow.

“Second bow to the esteemed parents.”

“Husband and wife bow to each other.”

After the three bows were completed, the old butler handed the red silk ribbon to Big Bear and said with a smile, “Young master and young lady, you may enter the bridal chamber.”

At the same time, a door on the right side of the wedding hall silently opened.

Big Bear, in a surge of excitement, was about to turn and call his teammates. But the moment he moved, he heard the Ghost Bride’s sweet, delicate voice say, “My husband, where are you going?”

Big Bear shuddered, his energy value dropping by 2000 R.

[Hahaha, this guy’s so afraid of his wife.]

[If you married this wife, you’d be scared too.]

[What’s there to fear? If I were him, I’d sleep with her first and figure out the rest later.]

[Upstairs is a savage.]

Big Bear was no savage; he was quite cowardly and could only passively follow the Ghost Bride into the “bridal chamber.” Fortunately, Shang Letian and the others were already waiting outside. Seeing no movement in the wedding hall, they rushed in with their Soul-Locking Nails.

Inside the bridal chamber, red candles burned, and wedding characters adorned the walls. A table was laden with fruits and pastries, looking incredibly cozy. But Big Bear’s first glance wasn’t at these details; it was at the coffin in the center of the room, and the large character “奠^[1] mourning/condolence” written on it.

After going through a series of rituals in the bridal chamber, the veil was lifted, and wine was drunk. The Ghost Bride then naturally removed her clothes: “My husband, it’s getting late. Let’s rest.”

[Holy crap, she’s taking off her clothes!!!!]

Tong Yu saw the perfectly synchronized comments and curled his lip: ‘What are they thinking? Is this something you get to see for free?’

The Ghost Bride merely shed her outer robe, then floated into the coffin. She turned back and beckoned to Big Bear: “My husband, come.”

The suggestive words were a deadly invitation.

Big Bear’s gaze was fixed on the coffin lid. He coaxed: “…You… you lie down first. I’ll help you close the coffin lid.”

“What do you want to do?” the Ghost Bride asked.

‘I want to nail you shut!!’ Big Bear thought to himself, but he said: “I want to take a bath. You wait for me first.”

The Ghost Bride smiled shyly: “Alright… this concubine will wait for you obediently.”

Big Bear hadn’t expected it to go so smoothly. The Ghost Bride actually lay obediently in the coffin. He quickly gave a signal towards the door. The few people who had been ready and waiting rushed in with the Soul-Locking Nails and bricks.

They couldn’t find a hammer in the mansion, so they picked up some bricks from the garden.

Six people pushed together, intending to close the coffin with lightning speed. But just as the coffin was about to close, the Ghost Bride suddenly blocked the lid with one hand, jamming it firmly.

“My husband, you tricked me!!!”

The gentle bride vanished. The Ghost Bride became enraged again, her fingernails spreading like roots, covering the entire coffin lid.

“Ahhhhhhh…” Someone’s legs went weak from fright.

Big Bear knew that if they didn’t succeed now, they’d have no chance. A sudden surge of strength filled him, and he firmly pressed down on the coffin lid: “Push!! Nail her in!!”

The other five also reacted. All six pushed together, disregarding the Ghost Bride’s frantic counterattack, and closed the coffin lid.

After all, it was an escape room game. Tong Yu hadn’t given the Ghost Bride too much strength, but if she was too weak, the horror factor wouldn’t be enough. So, if three or more people pushed the coffin lid, the Ghost Bride couldn’t resist; she could only frantically fight back to increase the horror effect.

“Quick, nail her!” Big Bear roared, his wail so tragic it was as if a young woman was about to be forced by eight strong men.

“You tricked me! Tricked me! Why did you trick me!!!”

The Ghost Bride’s cries grew more and more piercing, like a cuckoo crying blood ^[2]a Chinese idiom that originates from Shu Zhi (Annals of Shu), cited by Zhang Hua of the Jin Dynasty, with references to Han Dynasty’s Li Ying. “Cuckoo cries blood” refers to the legend that the … Continue reading. Tremendous force pounded on the coffin lid, making heavy *thump, thump* sounds, as if she could burst out at any moment. The entire bridal chamber suddenly filled with chilling winds, the red candles flickered, shaking their very souls.

“She’s coming out!!” Someone cried out in fear.

“Quick, nail her shut! If we don’t, we’ll all die!!!”

The six people were completely immersed at this point, as if it wasn’t a game but a real struggle. The four holding the nails finally found the corresponding holes and began frantically hammering them in. With a series of loud thuds, even the bricks were on the verge of cracking.

As the nails were driven in inch by inch, the Ghost Bride’s struggles finally grew weaker and weaker until she fell completely silent.

But the few of them dared not relax. They continued to hold down the coffin lid, waited a while longer, and only when they were certain it was safe did they collapse onto the ground, utterly exhausted.

“Did we… clear it?”

“Sh-should be.”

“How do we get out?” He just wanted to leave this ghostly place immediately.

“My husband!” Suddenly, the Ghost Bride’s voice abruptly echoed again. The few of them, caught off guard, instantly jumped up. “What does it matter if you nail me in the coffin? You performed the wedding ceremony with me; you will be my husband for all eternity. I will follow you forever and ever. You cannot escape, hahahaha…”

Big Bear’s large body shook. He felt a chill pervade his entire being, his eyes rolled back, and in the very last second of the game, he went offline.

Tong Yu: …

Players: …

Netizens: …